Gary area citizens have opportunities to share opinions on proposed Ralston Street Lagoon cleanup planCHICAGO (Nov. 6, 2008) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has scheduled two opportunities for Gary area residents to share their opinions on the proposed cleanup plans at the Ralston Street Lagoon in Gary.

A public comment period will run from Nov. 3 to Dec. 5 and a public meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 at the Gary Sanitary District offices at 3600 W. 3rd Ave.

EPA is proposing to clean up and contain hazardous materials by encasing the site with a special underground wall, draining lagoon water and mixing in dry fill with the sludge, and then capping the facility. The proposed cleanup plan also calls for buying 6 acres of adjacent residential parcels to be used as a staging area, raising the current berm to protect from 100-year floods, fencing the site and monitoring underground water supplies to ensure the cleanup plan is working.